Due to the recent development of science technology and modern medicine, the average life expectancy of humans is gradually increasing, and therefore, interest for health is increasing to improve the quality of life. This trend is increasing regardless of generation and age. Further, as interests in medicines, health supplements, and cosmetics, which include natural products, has increased, research and development are increasing. In particular, the efficacy of natural medicines and the function of health supplements and cosmetics including natural products are expanding to basic medical areas such as antioxidation, cholesterol suppression, obesity prevention effect, immunity, disease prevention and aging suppression.
Goji berry is also known as Chinese boxthorn or Matrimony vine, and has various species belonging to the Solanacea family, Lycium genus. Among the various species belonging to the Lycium genus, Lycium barbarum and Lycium chinense are most commonly used in oriental medicine. For example, Lycium barbarum fruit also known as Fructus lycii has long been known as a medicinal plant that helps maintain health in, particularly, Asia in general. Further, recent studies report that the Lycium barbarum not only enhances and regulates the immune system but also has properties of anti-aging, anticancer, reduced blood levels of fat and sugar, and reduced arterial blood pressure. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0198810 discloses the efficacy of, in particular, a mixture of an extract of rose fruits and Angelica dahurica (Chinese angelica) and an extract of wolfberry, which promotes lipogenesis of skin cells. Further, characteristics of specific components of the Lycium barbarum are already known. According to this, zeaxanthin dipalmitate is known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics, but Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) and 2-O-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)-ascorbic acid (vitamin C derivative) are known to have immune stimulatory and antioxidant characteristics.
Fig tree (Ficus carica L) is deciduous shrub belonging to Moraceae family and is native to the Mediterranean cost of Wester Asia. It grows to a height of 2 m to 4 m, its bark is light gray, and its leaf comes alternatively, is thick and wide egg-shaped, and has rough surface and hairs on its back. It is known that its latex has effects on athlete's foot, boil, hemorrhoids, its leaf has effects on athlete's foot or neuralgia, its fruit has effects on lowering blood pressure, constipation and the like. Korean Patent Registration No. 10-0512285 discloses a soap composition for medical use comprising an extract of fig fruit or leaf, which has antifungal and antibacterial effects.
Korean mint (Agastache rugosa (Fisch. et Meyer) O. Kuntze, betony) is a perennial herb belonging to the Labiatae family and its dried aboveground part and whole plant are used as a medicine. Its scientific name is Teucrium chamaedrys or Agastache rugosa (Latin name: Agastachis herba), and in China, Pogostemon cablin (Latin name: Pogostemonis herba) belonging to the same family is used mixedly with the Agastache rugosa. Korean mint has been traditionally used as an oriental medicine for anorexia, vomit, strong stomach, diarrhea, antipyretic action and the like (Ben Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica)), and there are studies about an external skin preparation for moisturizing and lubricating a keratin layer which comprises amino acids and plant extracts of Korean mint and the like (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No.9-71527) and the like. Through studies for components of Korean mint, materials such as methyl chavicol, rosmarinic acid, anethole and the like are reported.
Persimmon leaf contains vitamin C, chlorophyll, polyphenol and the like, and it is reported that it has effects on stopping internal hemorrhage, stopping bleeding caused by an ulcer in the digestive tract, and deodorization. Further, it is known that it is helpful when the throat is swollen and voice is cracked, and also has antihypertensive action like the acerb component of the persimmon
The present inventors have studied for a material originated from nature for antioxidation, immune enhancement, whitening, skin anti-ageing, and as a result, have found that a composition comprising a complex extract of goji berry, fig and Korean mint, or goji berry, fig and persimmon leaf shows not only the synergistic effect on antioxidation, immune enhancement, whitening, anti-wrinkle and collagenase inhibition activities but also low cytotoxicity, thereby completing the present invention.